What Is Mentha Piperita?
Mentha piperita, more commonly known as peppermint, is a hybrid of spearmint and watermint used as a culinary flavoring and traditional herb remedy. The plant originated in England in the late 1700s, probably due to accidental hybridization, and has been cultivated ever since. Peppermint grows wild in temperate regions of the world where the soil is moist, usually near streams and drainage ditches. An herbaceous perennial, Mentha piperita reaches up to 35 inches (88.9 centimeters) in height and produces dark-green, fragrant leaves covered in fine hairs. Peppermint also produces whorls of small, purple flowers around its slightly hairy stems in mid- to late-summer. Because it is a hybrid, the plant produces no seeds, but spreads through its extensive underground network of rhizomes.
